Audio source spatialization relative to orientation sensor and output

Abstract

An audio customization system operates to enhance a user's audio environment. A user may wear headphones and specify what portion the ambient audio and/or source audio will be transmitted to the headphones or the personal speaker system. The audio signal may be enhanced by application of a spatialized transformation using a spatialization engine such as head-related transfer functions so that at least a portion of the audio presented to the personal speaker system will appear to originate from a particular direction. The direction may be modified in response to movement of the personal speaker system.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An audio spatialization system comprising:
 a personal speaker system; 
 an audio spatialization engine having an output connected to said personal speaker system; 
 a directionally discriminating acoustic sensor having an audio output connected to said audio spatialization engine; 
 a first motion sensor associated with said personal speaker system; 
 a second motion sensor associated with said directionally discriminating acoustic sensor; and 
 a listener position orientation unit having a first input connected to said first motion sensor, a second input connected to said second motion sensor, and an output connected to said audio spatialization engine representing the position and orientation of an audio source direction detected by said directionally discriminating acoustic sensor relative to an orientation of said personal speaker system; 
 wherein said audio spatialization engine adds spatial characteristics to said audio output of said directionally discriminating acoustic sensor audio source on the basis of said output of said listener position/orientation unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The audio spatialization system according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a directional cue reporting unit having an output representative of a direction connected to said audio spatialization engine; and 
 wherein said audio spatialization engine adds spatial characteristics to said output of said audio source on the added basis of said output representative of a direction of said directional cue reporting unit. 
 
     
     
       3. The audio spatialization system according to  claim 2  wherein said directional cue reporting unit further comprises a location processor connected to a beamforming unit; a beam steering unit and said directionally discriminating acoustic sensor. 
     
     
       4. The audio spatialization system according to  claim 3  wherein said directionally discriminating acoustic sensor is a microphone array. 
     
     
       5. The audio spatialization engine according to  claim 4  wherein said first motion sensor is at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer, and said second motion sensor is at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer. 
     
     
       6. The audio spatialization system according to  claim 5  wherein said audio spatialization engine applies head related transfer functions to said output of said audio source.